SAD may face new challenge in Abohar, 3-time MLA revolts

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) may face a new challenge from Faridkot parliamentary constituency with Sheetal Singh, the three-time former MLA of the SAD from Dharamkot, announcing that he is going to contest from Faridkot Lok Sabha (reserved) as an independent candidate.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) may face a new challenge from Faridkot parliamentary constituency with Sheetal Singh, the three-time former MLA of the SAD from Dharamkot, announcing that he is going to contest from Faridkot Lok Sabha (reserved) as an independent candidate.

“I have decided to contest from Faridkot parliamentary seat as an independent candidate since my own party, for which I have worked for about 30 years as a loyal and dedicated worker very honestly failed to recognise my worth,” Sheetal Singh confirmed, when contacted over phone.

“I contested from Dharamkot three times and won all the time but the SAD had been constantly ignoring me,” Sheetal said.

Tota Singh, a senior SAD leader from Moga, was given the party ticket from Dharmkot assembly constituency after delimitation in 2012.

Sheetal Singh had contested from Dharamkot assembly segment in 1997, 2002 and 2007.

He is a close relative of former agriculture minister Gurdev Singh Badal.

Suba Singh, son of the former agriculture minister, refused to comment on the issue saying only he (Sheetal) could comment on it.

"Both Sheetal Singh and Gurdev Singh Badal, who had been representing from

Panjgrain Kalan (reserved) before delimitation were feeling ignored by the SAD after the 2012 assembly elections. After he lost to Joginder singh of Ccongress from Jaitu (reserved) in 2012, Gurdev Badal was marginalised and even his son was not accommodated in the party properly. Gurdev Badal has been a dalit face of the SAD," sources claimed.

The SAD has fielded its sitting MP Parmjeet Kaur Gulshan from the Faridkot seat and Ajit Singh Shant, former MLA from Nihal Singh Wala, who had joined SAD last year, could also not get the party ticket, which he was had been eyeing since he joined SAD.

He was a strong contender for the ticket.

The congress has fielded Joginder Singh, its sitting MLA from Jaitu (reserved) from Faridkot parliamentary seat.

Sadhu Singh, a retired college lecturer from Faridkot, is contesting from Faridkot on the AAP ticket.